MURDER squad detectives today called for someone to give a Huyton family closure a year after a much-loved son disappeared.

Paul Morson was last seen on June 8 last year as he drove a friend’s van in Huyton.

The van was later found abandoned in Holmes Chapel with no sign of the then-31-year-old, known to some as “Birdie”.

Police quickly upgraded their investigation from a missing person inquiry to a full-scale murder hunt.

But despite the arrest and charge of three suspects, Mr Morson’s family, from the St John’s Estate, still have no body to bury.

DCI Dave Brunskill, who has been leading the investigation, said: “Through extensive enquiries we believe Paul was murdered shortly after the last confirmed sighting in Huyton on June 8.

“His disappearance was so out of character and unusual that we treated it as a high priority missing person enquiry from an early stage.

“Sadly, our investigation led us to believe that he had been killed and his body disposed of in some way.

“Paul’s family and partner have been left devastated by what has happened and have not even been able to mourn his death in the way they want, due him having not been found.

“I am confident that someone out there still has information that could help the family deal with their tragic loss by helping us find his body.

“I would urge people who do know to search their consciences and imagine what Paul’s family are going through and do the right thing.”

The former car trader had been living in St Helens with his girlfriend for two years before he went missing.

A special mass was held last night for family and friends in Huyton’s St Agnes RC Church.

Scott Callaghan, 33, of Abbey Road, Anfield; John Burns, 23, of Kipling Avenue, Huyton; and Raymond Brierly, 59, of Windy Arbour Road, Whiston, are all set to enter pleas at court on July 13 having been charged with murder.

Anyone with information should call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or the police investigation team on 0151 777 8660.